The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1887-06-25
THE ART OF FLOWING.
something About the Most Important
Work Performed on the Farm.

good plowing. Holding the plow-han-
die is OF blowing. Unless the pillow
cuts a uniform width and depth the
work is not well done. Hence the
plowman must give attention to his
work, Watching the course Of his plow
every moment. The good plowman
holds the handles tightly in his hands.
not rigid, however; throv ng the plow
to this side or that, that it may take
more or less land. When it is said that
the pillow must cut a uniform depth,
reference is had to the natural surface
of the land, not to holes or mounds
made by hogs, etc. Good blowing
includes blowing to a depth proper
for the particular crop and the particu.
lar soil. S me soils are to be plowed
deeper than others; ground for some
crops is to be plowcd deeper than for
other crops. 1t may be proper, for in.
stance, to pillow sod land deep or shall.
low, to invert fully the furrow or to
place it on edge, in order to suit the
blowing to the soil, the crop to be
grown, and the season of the year.
Hence no invariable law for blowing
can be laid down. And because of this,
intelligence and thought are required
of the plowman who does his work
properly. The wise farmer will put his
most intelligent, careful workman ut
the pillow, leaving the harrow Q, roll.
ing, ETC., to the boys, He will also
put in the plow his team that is best
matched in gait and endurance, and
which walks the most steadily, for with
team made up of fast walker
and a slow walker, or of which
one horse lags, or which does
not walk true to the furrow, it is i'm.
poss BILE to do good work. He will
also give the most attention to the con.
dition of the soil when the pillow is tc
be put into it; for if the land is plowed
out of condition, the result is more
serious than if it be narrowed or rolled
out of condition. Some soils may be
plowed when quite damp; others only
when not damp. Some may be well
plowed when the weather threatens;
but to pillow some soils Just before {
heavy rain is to throw work away.
Also, the time of blowing properly de.
ponds somewhat on the crops to be
planted on the ground. If land lies
for some time after blowing before fall
wheat is sown, it is all the better; bui
corn is always best planted on fresh
land-the sooner after the land is plow-
ed and got in order the better.
Much depeno pr the pillow. The less
height to which me soil is elevated by
the mold board the less the draft.
Some plows have sharply curved, short,
high mold boards; these are hard on
the team and the plowman, and usu.
ally throw the earth higher and harder
than is necessary. For very stiff soil
they are the best, as they break up the
furrow; but for the majority of soils
they are not suited, as they make UNI
necessary draft and throw some of the
ground in a complete circle, leaving
the same side up that was up before.
Such plows throw sod on edge and
break it into pieces, hence are Otter
preferred for fall blowing, as they
leave the ground in such condition that
the frost has the greatest effect, while
there is the least danger of the ground
being made solid by a mild wet winter.
For spring blowing of sod, pillow with
a long, little curved mold board is the
best, as it turns the furrow smoothly
upside down, and does not break it.
Hence the ground may be fined and
worked down without bringing sods
to the surface. Such a pillow
is best for loose, light soil also
The form of the mold board must be
noted when the pillow is purchased A
good plow is easily put in such condi'
ton that it will not do good work. II
allowed to rust it will not turn the
ground well, and is hard to pull out
and hold. Some men throw the pillow
on its share side and drag it from one
field to another, or along the end o.
the Gland" This wears Off the corner
of the share, making the pillow run un.
steadily and leaving little ridge o.
ground not turned. Hold the pillow up
right when going across the ends o
lands, and have "shocs' for the pillow!
when they are to be taken from one
field to another Blacksmiths often
ruin plows. They draw the point Of
the share to one side or down. If 6
plow is set on a level floor, every poin
on the edge of the share and the edg,
of the land side should touch the floor
Otherwise the point has been drawn NJ
or down, and the pillow will dip
line running along the land side SHOULD
be straight, not curved; for if the pc II
stands out or in, the pillow will "crowd
or "shirk.n The beam of the pillow
should be short, to bring the horse.
] d.. L L